Berezkin Analytical Catalogue · Motif

M29W — Jaguar (ocelot, puma) is a loser and a loser

58 Myths, legends and folktales

58 Unique narratives for motif M29W

52 Cultures & traditions where M29W is told

45 Sub-motifs of motif M29W

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Source data for narratives and traditions is drawn from Berezkin’s Analytical Catalogue. If you use this data, please acknowledge and link to it: Ю.Е. Березкин, Е.Н. Дувакин. Тематическая классификация и распределение фольклорно-мифологических мотивов по ареалам. Аналитический каталог.

Summary of motif

Overview

As a result of their stupidity or antisocial behavior, a jaguar (puma, ocelot) dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. The character is named if it is a puma or ocelot; otherwise, a jaguar.

Berezkin category: Adventures: Tricks and episodes

This is of motif type Cosmology and etiology and is part of group 9, Identification of protagonists of the stories with particular animals or persons with particular qualities.

M29 has 45 other sub-motifs

M29.  trickster is defined as a protagonist in the following characteristic episodes.
M29a.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29a1.  In three or more different episodes related to deception, absurd, obscene or anti-social behavior the protagonist is raven (crow)
M29b.  Fox (a), Jackal, Coyote (or Wolf when, apparently, we mean a steppenwolf, i.e. the same coyote). See the motives in square brackets.
M29b1.  As a result of his stupidity or antisocial behavior, the wolf dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29b2.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the bear dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29b3.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the fox (jackal) dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. If it is not specified that a “jackal”, then the protagonist is a fox.
M29c.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29d.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29E.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29f.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the wolverine dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29g.  See the motives in square brackets. They include traditions in which the hare/rabbit appears only as a trickster, and another trickster (usually a fox or jackal) often occurs.
M29g1.  In episodes involving deception, ridiculous, obscene, or antisocial behavior, the hare or rabbit is the main trickster. Traditions in which 1) a hare or rabbit occurs only once as a trickster, and another trickster (usually a fox/jackal/coyote) is typical; 2) Mesoamerican traditions in which a small rabbit is associated with a small a set of episodes and a high probability of recent African influences. See the motives in square brackets.
M29g2.  Cancer (crab) defeats or deceives strong opponents by cunning.
M29gg.  hedgehog defeats or deceives strong opponents by cunning.
M29h.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29i.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29j.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29k.  A turtle (toad, frog) defeats strong opponents by cunning or perseverance. See the motives in square brackets. The character is named if it is a toad or frog; otherwise, a turtle.
M29k1.  A turtle (toad, frog) gets into unpleasant situations due to its own stupidity or carelessness. See the motives in square brackets. The character is named if it is a toad or frog; otherwise, a turtle.
M29l.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29m.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29n.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29nn.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29o.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29o1.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the monkey dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29p.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29q.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29qq.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29r.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29S.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29T.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29v.  The character defeats or deceives strong opponents using cunning. The protagonists are dwarf ungulates, usually duker or deer - taxonomically distant from each other, but similar in appearance. In some publications on African traditions, it is difficult to determine which animal we are talking about, but it is certain that these are small cloven-hoofed animals, usually (always?) dukers. See the motives in square brackets.
M29w.  As a result of their stupidity or antisocial behavior, a jaguar (puma, ocelot) dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets. The character is named if it is a puma or ocelot; otherwise, a jaguar.
M29w1.  As a result of their stupidity or antisocial behavior, the leopard (panther, leopard) dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29w2.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the tiger dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29w3.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the lion dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29x.  As a result of its stupidity or antisocial behavior, the hyena dies or suffers damage. See the motives in square brackets.
M29x1.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29X2.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29y.  See the motives in square brackets.
M29z.  hero of the story is a character named “Beardless” or Aldar-Kose (Aldar is a “deceiver”, a braid is “beardless”).
M29z1.  purely anthropomorphic character, or a character who bears the name of an animal or plant but does not act zoomorphic in the course of his adventures. See the motives in square brackets. {Data not fully entered}
M29z2.  Being smart and witty, the Gipsy overcomes strong adversaries
M29z3.  The Gipsy (more often a female than a male) is an enemy overcome by the hero (heroine) or (rare) a weak failure
M29z4.

🌐 See a combined distribution map for all of M29’s motifs

Top 10 motifs with similar dispersal patterns

Phylogeny

Motif	Similarity	Motif summary
F32	99.94%	Small children or a single infant, who temporarily transform into adult men and/or emerge from their mother's womb, or a snake living in a woman's womb, climb a tree and help her gather fruit, bark, tree mushrooms, etc.; or a father discovers his daughter's connection with a snake when he climbs a tree to gather fruit for her.
L5D	99.93%	The rolling head suffers from thirst. See motif L5.
J15B	99.90%	While travelling, a woman finds herself in the house of a frog or toad. See motif J15.
F29	99.87%	A girl (woman) sits on the ground and copulates with a snake, worm or eel that crawls out of the ground towards her. This usually happens when she is busy with housework (cooking, weaving, etc.).
B22A	99.76%	Boys climb a tree to eat fruit and refuse to throw the fruit down to the tapir, who tries to kill the boys.
E9K	99.76%	The husband or wife is the embodiment of honey or a human bee.
F84	99.76%	A guest or younger brother has sexual intercourse with the wife of the host or older brother. Wanting to demonstrate long abstinence, the character sprinkles ash on the head of his penis or smears it with fruit juice.
B24	99.59%	People who have entered into conflict or violated a prohibition are transformed into wild boars or peccaries.
B63	99.59%	Children lie to their mother, pretending to work in the fields. When the deception is revealed, they are left without a harvest and are transformed into atmospheric phenomena or celestial objects.
E19	99.59%	Narcotic plants arise from the body of a human being torn to pieces by others.

See the 100 most similar distributions →

Map of motif dispersal

Distribution

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Traditions

52 recorded

This motif has been recorded in 52 traditions: Batak (Toba, Dairi), Yana, Tewa (San Juan, Santa Clara, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Nambe; Hano), Tiwa (Taos, Picuris; Sandia, Isleta), Towa (Jemez), Aztec; Aztec and Teotihuacan iconography, Chontal, Chinantec, Mazatec, Tzeltal, Chol; pre-Columbian Mayan iconography outside of Yucatan, Yucatec, Itza, Paya (Pech), Sumu, Misquito, Cuna; XVI century data on Eastern Panama, Guajiro, Cuiva, Makiritare (Yecuana), Sanema, Warao, Wapishana (incl Ataroi); Mapidian; Taruma, Pemon: Arekuna (incl. Kamarakoto), Taulipang (Taurepan), Guiana Kariña, Kaliña, Galibi, Wayapi, Emerillon, Napo (Quijo), Kanelo (“Jungle Kechua”), Desana, Siriano; Tatuyo, Bara, Tuyuca, Tariana, Yagua, Maue (Mawe), Xipaya, Urubu (Urubu-Kaapor), Tenetehara, Kechua-speaking communities of Apurimac, Cuzco, Arequipa, Puno departments; Spanish sources of XVI-XVII centuries; Callawaya (Kechua with Pukina substratum), Machiguenga, Tacana, Yuracare, Suruí, Gaviâo, Zoro, Arua, Cinta Larga, Mundurucu, Curuaia, Bakairi, Rikbaktsa, Kayabi, Iranxe, Bororo, Caraja, Tapirape, Cayapo (incl. Kubenkranken, Pau d’Arco, Shikrin or Xikrin), Kaingang, Xokleng, Makka, Mocovi; Kechua of Santiago del Estero with probable Guaikuruan substratum; Abipon, Chamacoco (Ishir), Nivakle (=Chulupi, Ashluslay, Ajlujlay), Toba (incl Pilagá), Caduveo, Mbaya, Guarani of Paraguay and Brazil: Caygua, Mbia, Apapocuva, Nyandewa, Chiripa, Northern and Southern Tehuelche, Manao, Katawishi (Teffe lake); groups of uncertain affiliation mostly from Rio Jamunda

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